Imperfectionist
by TheEmberGirl
Summary: Annabeth breaks up with Percy after he makes a mistake; but will she realise her own mistake? Songfic included. Rated T for tears
1. Prologue

**Hi, this is my new story. I'm sorry but _Percy Jackson and the fandom_ ****_quiz_** **is on hiatus, due to a massive case of writers block. Meanwhile enjoy this short story. **

**Prologue**

_Three years ago:_

'Perseus Jackson, we need to talk!' Annabeth yelled into the canoe lake. The water of the lake surged as Percy surfaced, as usual he was dry.

'What's wrong Wise Girl?' he asked.

'What's wrong? Well when you jumped into the lake a wave suddenly appeared and soaked my blueprints for Zeus' temple.'

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause the wave.' said Percy truthfully. He had jumped into the lake to clear his mind after one of the new campers pestered him at training; his annoyance at that camper had caused the wave.

'Save it,' snapped Annabeth, she took a deep breath. 'We're through Percy.'

'What...'started Percy, his sea green eyes widening.

'You heard me Percy; I'm breaking up with you.'

Percy composed his face into a mask, but not before Annabeth saw his look of shock and pain that made her heart leap and gave her an immense feeling of guilt. She brushed the feelings aside.

'I can't stay with you,' she said. 'You do too many stupid things, last time you soaked the blueprint for Apollo's statue.'

Percy's face was still a mask.

'Okay then, Wise Girl, whatever makes you happy. But we'll still be friends, won't we?'

There was no response from Annabeth, Percy sighed and turned to leave.

'Goodbye Annabeth.'

* * *

Annabeth added the last lines to the blueprint of Zeus' temple, before sending the paper via Hermes mail to Olympus. She then packed her bags and went to the Big House see Chiron.

'Good afternoon, my dear, what can I do for you?' asked the centaur.

'As you may already know, I broke up with Percy this morning.'

'No, I did not know that but I did suspect it seeing I have not seen Percy since after training.'

A wave of guilt washed over Annabeth, she dismissed the feeling, I'm doing what mother always wanted me to do, she thought stubbornly.

'I want to leave Camp, I've finished redesigning Olympus and I want to go to college.' said Annabeth.

'Very well,' said Chiron solemnly. 'Your mother has seen your last blueprint and is proud of you.' Chiron's voice seemed slightly disapproving.

'She requested that you be allowed to leave Camp, should you want to.'

Annabeth nodded and walked out of the Big House. She was slightly dizzy, her mother was proud of her and she was free to leave Camp and the memory of Percy behind. She grabbed her bags from her cabin and took one last glance of Percy's cabin, no, she thought, I won't say goodbye to him, what I do now does not concern him.

Then she left the camp boundaries without looking back.

**I have already written the next chapter, and will post it as soon as possible. The more reviews I get the faster I update. Next chapter is songfic.**

**~Hunter of Artemis**


	2. The Way I Loved You

**The Way I Loved You**

_Present day:_

'Annabeth?'

His voice shocked her from her reverie. Annabeth had been thinking of Camp Half-Blood and Percy, she brushed the treacherous thoughts aside and turned to face him, smiling.

'Sorry Michael, I was daydreaming.'

'Oh good, I was worried you were stressing out over tomorrows exams.' said Michael, holding out his hand to help her up.

He's so sweet, thought Annabeth as she remembered the first time saw him.

_Flashback:_

It was Annabeth's first day at college, she glanced alertly around for monsters, a boy with light brown hair and brown eyes caught her eyes and smiler at her. Later that day she found out his name was Michael, and he was in her architecture class.

Michael was cute and very nice, always showing her his designs and studying with her in the library, a month later he asked her out and they started dating.

Today was their second anniversary.

Annabeth walked to her class with Michael and thought about their date that night.

PAGE BREAK

Annabeth sat on her bed in her dorm and shook the thoughts about Percy and Camp. Michael was a much better choice; he was intelligent and shared the same goals as her.

_He is sensible and so incredible  
and all my single friends are jealous_

'I bought you a new pair of earrings,' chirped her dorm mate Abby, proffering a pair of silver hoop earring at her. 'They're an early birthday present, they'll look gorgeous for you anniversary date. You're so lucky having a boyfriend like Michael, always making sure you don't freak out before exams.'

_He says everything I need to hear and it's like  
I couldn't ask for anything better_

Annabeth slipped on the silver earrings just before Michael knocked on the door and opened it with her spare key.

'Nice earrings, you look beautiful, let's take my car tonight.' said Michael holding the door open. Annabeth smiled and walked out the door but for some reason she wasn't feeling excited.

_He opens up my door and I get into his car  
and he says you look beautiful tonight  
and I feel perfectly fine_

_But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain  
and it's two am and I'm cursing your name  
you were so in love that you act insane  
and that's the way I loved you _

_I'm breaking down and coming undone  
it's a roller coaster kinda rush  
and I never knew I could feel that much  
and that's the way I loved you  
_

During the car ride Annabeth's mind was wandering again. The main thought in her head was _Why?_ Why was she waking up in the middle cursing because she had dreamt of Percy? Why did something feel wrong about her relationship with Michael? Why did she feel like she was breaking down?

_Fine,_ she thought to herself, _I'll compare the two of them._

Michael respected her space, while Percy tried to then ended up barging in at the wrong time. Michael could be held to his word; she never had to wait for him and called her every time he said he would, while Percy was late most times, and never IMed her at the right time; blaming monsters for making him late.

_He respects my space  
and never makes me wait  
and he calls exactly when he says he will_

Percy was on good terms with her Dad and step-mom and her younger brothers loved him, but Athena would never approve of him. Annabeth remembered the time when she took Michael to meet her family, he and her Dad had started talking about planes like old friends and her younger brothers seemed to dislike him. When they left that day they walked into Athena.

'Mother what are you doing here.' Annabeth had gasped.

'I'm visiting your father,' Athena replied smiling. 'So this is your new boyfriend.'

'Yes ma'am, I'm Michael.' said Michael politely, charming like every other adult he spoke to.

'I approve of him.' said Athena when Michael left to warm up his car.

Michael was sweet, and unlike Percy, he wouldn't attract every monster in a ten mile radius, however she knew that Percy could watch her back, and defend her with his life, while she had to make sure no monsters kidnapped Michael as bait for her.

_He's close to my mother  
talks business with my father  
he's charming and endearing  
and I'm comfortable  
_

_But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain.  
It's two am and I'm cursing your name,  
you were so in love that you acted insane  
and that's the way I loved you._

_I'm breaking down and coming undone  
It's a roller coaster kinda rush  
and I never knew I could feel that much  
and that's the way I loved you_

That's when Annabeth knew; she knew why she wasn't excited about this date, why she had being feeling so restless and cagey around Michael.

'Are you alright, Annabeth?' asked Michael, disturbing her chain of thoughts. 'You're very quite tonight.'

'I'm fine Michael.' Annabeth replied, giving him a smile that felt fake. Her chest felt hollow, it wasn't heartbreak, but something else she couldn't quite put a grasp on.

_He can't see the smile I'm faking,  
And my heart's not breaking,  
Cos' I'm not feeling anything at all._

Annabeth finally understood; she still loved Percy. She cared for Michael, but as a brother; a friend, he was too perfect, boring almost. But Percy was impulsive and reckless, the opposite of what she was, and she'd loved him of that. He was annoying in the best sense, frustratingly stubborn, but almost everything he did was for her. He was a Seaweed Brain, but he was observant, a great strategist ready to take risks. He'd loved her enough to let her go, leaving him was a mistake, she saw that now.

_And you were wild and crazy,  
Just so frustrating, intoxicating, complicated  
Got away by some mistake. And now…_

_But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain.  
It's two am and I'm cursing your name, _

_I'm so in love that I acted insane  
And that's the way I loved you._

_I'm breaking down and coming undone  
It's a roller coaster kinda rush  
and I never knew I could feel that much  
and that's the way I loved you_

She realized the hollow feeling was heartache; she missed Percy, she missed Camp, she'd missed them since the novelty of going to college wore off. Annabeth missed all the fights they had over something stupid, all the times they'd went on dates outside of Camp and kissed in the rain while Percy kept them both dry.

As Michael pull up near the beach, making Annabeth think of Fireworks Beach at Camp, she knew what she had to do, it felt like an act of insanity but she knew it was the right thing to do.

'Michael.' she said before he could get out the car.

'Yes Annabeth,' said Michael looking concerned. 'You aren't feeling sick are you?'

'No, but we need to talk.' Annabeth cringed inwardly as she remembered herself saying the same thing to Percy.

'About?' asked Michael.

'I'm sorry Michael, we need to break up.'

'Is this an anniversary joke, or is someone threatening you?'

'Neither,' said Annabeth. 'I love someone else, I still love Percy.'

'Percy, the one who dumped you?' asked Michael looking confused.

'No I broke up with him,' Annabeth explained. 'I guess I'm a heartbreaker.' she added wryly.

'So what are you going to do?' asked Michael.

'My final exams are tomorrow, after that I'm leaving.'

'So you really mean it? Us breaking up?'

Annabeth nodded.

'I drive you back then.'

'Thank you Michael, I'm so sorry.'

'It's okay Annabeth; I knew you were too good to be true.'

Neither of them said another word after that.

The next day Annabeth found it hard to sit still during exams because of the mixture of her ADHD and anticipation of returning to Camp. Finally she finished the exam, only half hearing the examiner saying:

'Well done to all of you for undertaking the exam. The results will be mailed to you in around two months.'

She ran to get the suitcase she'd packed the night before, loaded it into the boot of her car and drove towards New York.

_And that's the way I loved you_

Annabeth smiled, thinking about Percy; soon she would reach Camp and see him again.

_And that's the way I loved you_


	3. Regret Message

**Hello everyone, long time no see. I'm sorry for pretty much abandoning you for the Avatar Fandom, and I intend to stay, well if the PJO fic gets more votes on my poll than the Avatar fic. So vote!**

**But here is the long awaited update: Annabeth returns to camp.  
Please put down the rotten tomatoes and enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Regret Message**

As Annabeth's car approached Camp Half-Blood, two curly haired figures approached her. She smiled at the Stoll brothers, her smile faded when she saw the brothers' grim expressions.

'What happened?' she asked the taller one- Travis.

'It's Percy, we thought you already knew.' replied Connor.

'Yeah, seeing as you came back.' Travis continued.

Annabeth's heart raced, what was going on? Was Percy getting married and the Stolls assuming she was trying to gate crash the wedding?

'What about Percy?' asked Annabeth.

'Well,' said Travis in a gentle voice. 'Let's put it like this...'

'...Percy never really recovered after you left.' Connor finished.

'He got really depressed, but we thought he was getting better...' began Travis.

Connor finished his sentence:

'...Until he hanged himself off Thalia's Pine yesterday. We thought you'd come for the funeral.'

'Yeah, Thalia and Nico are both here.'

Annabeth's mouth was dry, and her mind was a blur. She vaguely remembered blurting 'I can't stay here!' and running back to her car as the thoughts of he died because of me and I killed him echoed around her head. She had intended to stay for the funeral but when Travis had mentioned Thalia and Nico, she knew she couldn't face Percy's cousins.

Annabeth drove away from camp again, but this time she had no idea where she was going, and if she'd looked back she would have seen the Stoll brothers' expressions.

Annabeth kept driving until she reached an isolated beach, a storm was brewing, but Annabeth was too tired to drive any further. She exited the car just as the first drops of rain began to fall. Annabeth sat down on the beach and began to cry, letting out her regret, anger at herself, and frustration at the Fates out along with her tears. She cried until her all her emotions left her and a numb feeling filled her body, until she wasn't sure if the salty wetness on her face was tears or rain or even spray from the sea. Only then did she stop , looking out at the ocean he'd loved so much and wishing with or her heart that he was there with her, that she hadn't been so stupid.

'I'm sorry Percy,' she whispered past the numbness, past the biting cold wind that lashed into her despite her jacket._ If I stay here long enough, would Poseidon take me to avenge his son_, she though grimly, _maybe then we'll be together again…if he can forgive me._

_No!_ A voice that sounded exactly like Percy's spoke in her mind, it was so clear that Annabeth actually looked around; expecting him to appear though the fog that now cloaked the beach. The smell of salt hung heavy in the air, like Percy always smelt of. Her eyes were drawn back to the sea that looks so much like his eyes, as if she'd sensed his presence in the waves. _Go back, _he seemed to be telling her, _back to Camp, they need you._

Annabeth gasped. He was right, Camp Half Blood did need her; she and Percy had been the leaders at camp. With one gone and the other, she forced herself to think it, _dead,_ the Camp was leaderless. Whether they accepted her back or not she had to go back and help them, her friends, her _family_.

On the drive back Annabeth's mind was full of debates of how to convince the campers not to hate her. The sky cleared up, and as she reached the Camp, rays of Apollo's light began to shine though. This time, before anyone could see her arrive, Annabeth pulled on her magic baseball cap rendering herself invisible so that nothing anyone said to her would make her run away again. This time she'd do things right, and do her duty for the Camp.

She needn't have worried, for there was no one guarding the boundaries. _They must all be at the funeral,_ she thought, pulling off the cap, the idea that they might all be playing capture-the-flag did not cross her mind even once. So it surprised her when heard the clashing of swords and sight of armour that proved that was exactly what they were doing.

What surprised her most was the leader of the blue team; Percy was wearing full Greek armour, urging his team on with a hard glint she'd never seen before in his eyes. He fought ferociously, the red team Camper fighting against him was knocked down hard onto the ground, but Percy didn't seem to notice or care, he just began to battle the next red team member. If Annabeth's attention hadn't been focused on this changed Percy, she would have notice two brothers at the back of the blue team forces. Connor and Travis Stoll gave each other a look that even someone as far away as Annabeth could have read. _We're busted._

* * *

**Whoops, did this chapter not go the way you expected it to? Did you expect a happy reunion? Loved this this chapter? Hate this chapter-no, put away those rotten tomatoes-? Please tell me in a review and you'll get a free virtual cookie. Just like this (::).**

**And don't forget to vote, you'll get another one if you vote. (#)**

**~HunterofArtemis**


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